Holy Dependence

Is it right to depend on someone? I’m not talking about depending on God. That is a given. I’m talking about depending on friends, family, and strangers. When Paul was blinded he was forced to depend on others to get him to the one God chose to heal him. The lame were dependent on friends to bring them to Jesus. And I lately I have found myself depending on someone for guidance in certain issues. This is a new thing for me. I have always been the extremely independent entrepreneurial type. Now that I find myself in a situation that is not like that I’m not sure what to do. I don’t know how much I can lean on someone with pushing them away. How do you and what do you do?

One Question

It is amazing how one question can change your life. For Peter it was “Who do you say I am?” For couples it is “Will you take this person as your lawfully wedded spouse?” For parents it is “Is the baby healthy?”
I received such a question last night. I knew it was coming, the person had been hinting at it for a while. Then they finally asked. Even though I knew and expected it didn’t make it easier. I considered lying but I couldn’t. I’m proud of myself for being honest, but then it began to sink in that I had actually been asked. I have never felt so alone as I did in that moment in time. I was in a room full of people and there was not a single person I could even talk to. Then my heart started racing. I couldn’t figure out the emotion because I had never felt anything so intense. Then I realized what it was: fear. I was in pure and udder dread. I had lost complete control of everything I am. It was as if a layer of skin had been ripped from my body.
I was lucky though. I had a friend that I was talking to that would understand. I’m not just speaking of Christ, but I had been lucky enough to have been given someone to go to. In the midst of pure dread I felt more thanks than I have ever known. At that moment I was as thankful for this friend as I was for salvation. God had used him for my bodily salvation at the time. I can’t imagine what I would have done without him.

One question. One answer. Then one hope. Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Jason Vaughn

Talents for Glory

(1 Corinthians 10:31)
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

So all week at school we had this artist, Doug Berky, on campus. He worked with our theatre department, was our chapel “speaker” Wed., and performed on Friday night. First let me say that this was the best chapel of the year. He truly was amazing in that performance. Even after that he still blew my mind on Friday evening. He performed Kairos with five NGC theatre majors. It was one of the most phenomenal performances of my life. They performed the story of Christ in masks. Our students learned this in a weeks time and did an exceptional job. May I also add that this was the first performance where I actually took notice of how intricate and stupendous the lighting and sound was for a performance. Props to all who worked on this production.
The point of this blog is to share one of the points that Doug shared in chapel. When he came on stage he began by juggling. He then continued by sharing that once in a theatre he felt this overwhelming presence of God. This led him of course to only one possible action: he performed ever possible trick he knew. What he was speaking of was the fact that our talents and abilities are gifts from God. They are meant to glorify Him. He compared them a prayer of thanks before God.
As some of my readers know I was trying to organize a creative ministries tour over Christmas. God closed the door on this activity for the time being. One of my purposes for this tour was to teach church members that God has designated everything they do for His glory.
I encourage all of my readers to look at what you enjoy. What is pure in your life? What brings you comfort? Then think about how this can glorify God and help to bring about His redemptive plan to the world. Basketball, golf, pottery, photography, reading, playing, talking, organizing, acting, listening, counseling, helping, serving. Whatever you do remember to do it for the glory of God. (BTW this includes working and studying)

Soli Deo Gloria,
Jason Vaughn

Gomer Update

So I received an e-mail asking me to write an update about my Gomer. Sorry I haven’t updated, but it has been a busy couple of weeks. I appreciate all of your prayers. I hate to say it, but I decided I needed to leave the church. I woke up on Sunday and I just dreaded going to church. That was the last straw and God’s way of telling me to leave. I do know this though. I left giving all I had in me.

Acts 20:31-32 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. (32) And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

I gave all I knew and learned all God allowed me to learn. I gave it without exception. There is simply nothing left for me to do there. I walk by the church building and cry, but I have comfort in knowing I held nothing back.
The Greek word used for this is pas –“without exception.” I truly believe this is what I gave. My professor told me he was proud of me. I wish I could feel that way. I have to admit I still feel like I am abandoning them. I wait now on the peace of God.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Jason Vaughn

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
By: Isaac Watts
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did ever such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all!

Boring Sin

I hate boredom. You would think with all the miracles of technology we would never be bored. Personally, I think one of the major reasons for boredom is our lack of creativity. We are spoon fed answers all of our life and then all of the God given talent is just drained out of us because we haven’t used it in a decade and a half since school started.
It is fall break and I came home for the couple of days. Yesterday, I was supposed to do a gig for Paws in the Falls, but I arrived and no one was there. Apparently they canceled and didn’t bother telling me. Then I went to the Christian Film Festival at Hollywood 20. I volunteered for a while then watched movies. If you are in the area you should go and help out or just watch some movies. Some are cheesy, but others, like Luther, are really good. It is also probably the only time you will hear an alter call in a movie theatre.
So back to boredom. I went to my home church today and since then I have been sitting around with nothing to do. You know the saying “Idle hands are the Devil’s playground.” I think I am definitely proving it today. I like having the break, but it is really boring since most of my friends are at North Greenville. It seems that it should be easy to fight temptations, but it seems I just keep falling. That is why I like being at school. At least there is some accountability there.
So now I am trying to distract myself by blogging. If nothing else this has helped to put my focus back on track and on God. I’ll probably go back to the film festival tomorrow. Maybe, I’ll see some of you there. God Bless.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Jason Vaughn

My Gomer?

My heart is burdened deeply. Last Sunday night I called my church to repentance and I feel as if it were useless. They have an awesome opportunity for ministry, but some members hold such a grudge against parts of this specific community that the ministry is almost non-existent. I called them on this last Sunday. Tonight we had missions emphasis night. The whole time I kept thinking “you care about people half way around the world, but you aren’t even willing to reach those surrounding you.” It is so frustrating. My advisor and professor has encouraged me to move on. He should know He is also the pastor that just left the church. (It was under really good circumstances so it isn’t that there is any animosity, NGU requires professors to stay no longer than a year.)
As I was there tonight I was having such a hard time getting rid of this thought of frivolousness that I went to pray in the sanctuary. As I entered I looked at the baptismal and began to wonder when the last time a new believer had been brought into the family because of the work God was doing in this church. Then I looked at the cross above it and began to wonder if this could really be any resemblance of what God had in mind as He established the church He was to head.
I don’t know what to do. The people I trust tell me to leave, but yet there is something that tells me to stay and not just leave these people behind. I wonder if this is to be my Gomer. Is this to be my adulterous wife? I am beginning to understand a small, and oh so brief glimpse, as to what Christ must feel as we betray Him for things so much less glorious.
I ask you to pray with me for guidance. It hurts to be there, but if God can use me to bring Him glory through this then pray I will lean on Him. I cannot do this without the prayers of the saints.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Jason Vaughn

Never let your trials stop your praise. Join me in worshiping in music with this awesome hymn of the faith.


HOW GREAT THOU ART

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

Temptations

Why do we tempt ourselves? Why do we constantly put objects of desire in front of us that cause lust, jealousy, covetousness, and envy?
We see them in most movies. We see them on commercials and television. We even see them on billboards. We constantly are faced with temptations and then we decide to put others in front of us. I understand the idea of thinking someone is beautiful, but if there is even the slightest possibility of causing us to sin should we not try to remove it from our lives?
I write this because I have been personally convicted of this recently. I put things in front of me that fuel habitual sins and they become my desire more than God. It gets to a place I would rather have then and think on them than to think on God. Now I realize that we cannot completely avoid everything, but we can limit it. Sinners will act like sinners and dress like sinners no matter what. And to accomplish the Great Commission we must be willing to engage them with the gospel in their environments.
But what about outside those environments? In the comfort of our own room should we really place pictures of men and women that can cause us to lust? No. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” James 4:7. If we let the devil in our own room then we do not resist him. As Christians we go into a fallen world everyday. We must have a place to retreat from the temptations of the enemy. A place we can go into our prayer closets without worldly distractions surrounding us.
We are dead creatures, sacrificed to Christ, and alive solely in Him. If we are to serve Him fully we must focus on Him, and not the temptations of the world. Create a place where you can go and have nothing to distract your focus from God. For most of us that is our dorm room. In there let us tear down all those things that can create a diversion from God and His glory.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8).